We were having quite a time attempting to hitch into Bishop from Independence. We stood by the side of the road, in front of the Inyo County Court House for almost an hour before the we were blessed with our best hitch ever!
The interior was beautifully renovated and decorated.
I felt like I had traveled back in time to 1968.
The curtains had beads and crystals hand sewn on them.
Leaving Bishop, we began hiking with Wrong Way, Sam Wise and Sweet As.
We went over Glen Pass the first morning and hiked past Rae Lakes.
There was not much snow, but the lakes and granite made for an epic backdrop.
That day at lunch, we reached mile 800.
Notice how dirty and stained our shirts have become.
We have worn them every day since April 23rd.
They get washed once a week, but
needless to say, we stink.
It is peaceful in this Range of Light, to use Muir's description.
This is an exceptionally low snow year, and the high Sierras are rather barren.
Most nights there is condensation and our few belongings get wet, so during lunch, we pull out our sleeping bags and quilts and throw them over large granite boulders to dry in the sun. This day, there was a stiff breeze, and a sleeping bag was weighted down with a rock above Sweet As' head. When the wind picked up and blew the bag off the boulder, Sweet As, who was merrily lunching below, was hit on the head by this rock!
PCT thru-hikers are required to carry bear canisters from Kennedy Meadows to Sonora Pass.
Sometimes it is hard to fit all your food in it!
The mosquitos have not been bad, so we have been able to cowboy camp.
The Adventurers.
Muir Hut at Muir Pass.
What an amazing life we live.
We spent a cold night on top of Silver Pass. We chose to cowboy camp rather than set up the tent, so we could watch the sunset, stars and sunrise from our beds.
We got up early the next frigid morning with visions of town food and warm drinks dancing through our heads!
Mile 900 means that we are more than 1/3 through the journey.
Blow downs have been a big concern near Reds Meadow this year, but the majority had been cleared off of the trail by the time we hiked through.
And it was kinda fun climbing over the few that hadn't yet been cleared.
Seven of us got a ride to town in Sugar Momma's VW Van.
How many hikers can you fit in a motel room?
Seven.
And how bad does it smell?!!!
PRETTY BAD!
